List of prime ministers of Japan facts for kids

Itō Hirobumi was the first prime minister of Japan and the only person to have served on four separate occasions.

Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni is the shortest-serving prime minister at fifty-four days and the only member of the Japanese imperial family to serve as prime minister.

Shinzo Abe is the longest-serving prime minister with over eight years on two separate occasions.

Sanae Takaichi is the current and first female prime minister.

The Prime Minister is the top leader of Japan's government. They lead the Cabinet, which is like a team of ministers who help run the country. This article lists all the Prime Ministers of Japan, starting from Itō Hirobumi in 1885, who was the first in the modern era.

In the past, under the Meiji Constitution, the Emperor had a big role in choosing the Prime Minister. Today, the Prime Minister is chosen from the members of the National Diet (Japan's parliament). The Emperor then officially appoints them.

Japan has had many Prime Ministers. Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni served for the shortest time, only 54 days in 1945. Shinzo Abe served the longest, for over eight years in total. The current Prime Minister is Sanae Takaichi, who became the first female Prime Minister on 21 October 2025.

Early Leaders of Japan (1871-1885)

Before the modern Prime Minister role began, Japan had a leader called the daijō-daijin (太政大臣), which means 'Chancellor of the Realm'. This was an old position brought back for a short time during the Meiji era. It was similar to what a Prime Minister does today.

Chancellors of the Realm (Daijō-daijin)

List of Chancellors of the Realm (1871–1885)

Portrait		Daijō-daijin Office (Lifespan)	Term of office			Mandate	Party	Government	Emperor Reign
			Start	End	Duration
		Prince Sanjō Sanetomi 三條 實美 (1837–1891)	13 September 1871	22 December 1885	14 years, 101 days	—	None		Meiji r. 1867 – 1912 (Meiji era)

This role of Chancellor ended in December 1885. That's when Itō Hirobumi became the first person to hold the new title of Prime Minister of Japan (内閣総理大臣, Naikaku Sōri-Daijin).

Prime Ministers of Japan (Since 1885)

Here is a list of all the Prime Ministers of Japan since 1885. You can use the links below to jump to different time periods or learn about the political parties they belonged to.

• • 19th century
  • 20th century
  • 21st century

• ---

• • Meiji
  • Taishō
  • Shōwa
  • Heisei
  • Reiwa

• ---

• •      Nonpartisan   (9)
  •      Military (Army) (6)
  •      Military (Navy) (5)
  •      Kenseitō   (1)
  •      Rikken Seiyūkai   (6)
  •      Rikken Dōshikai (1)
  •      Kenseikai   (2)
  •      Rikken Minseitō   (2)
  •      Taisei Yokusankai   (4)
  •      Imperial Family (1)
  •      Liberal (1945–1948)   (1)
  •      Socialist   (2)
  •      Democratic (1947–1950)   (1)
  •      Democratic Liberal   (1)
  •      Liberal (1950–1955)   (1)
  •      Democratic (1954–1955) (1)
  •      Liberal Democratic   (26)
  •      New   (1)
  •      Renewal   (1)
  •      Democratic (1998–2016)   (3)

List of Prime Ministers of Japan since 1885

Portrait		Prime minister Office (Lifespan)	Term of office			Mandate	Party	Government	Emperor Reign	Ref
			Start	End	Duration
		Count Itō Hirobumi 伊藤󠄃 博文 (1841–1909)	22 December 1885	30 April 1888	2 years, 131 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	1. Itō I
		Count Kuroda Kiyotaka 黑田 清隆 (1840–1900)	30 April 1888	25 October 1889	1 year, 179 days	—	Military (Army)	2. Kuroda
		Prince Sanjō Sanetomi 三條 實美 (1837–1891) Acting Prime Minister	25 October 1889	24 December 1889	61 days	—	Independent	Sanjō caretaker
		Count Yamagata Aritomo 山縣 有朋 (1838–1922)	24 December 1889	6 May 1891	1 year, 134 days	—	Military (Army)	3. Yamagata I
						1890
		Count Matsukata Masayoshi 松方 正義 (1835–1924)	6 May 1891	8 August 1892	1 year, 95 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	4. Matsukata I
						1892
		Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤󠄃 博文 (1841–1909)	8 August 1892	31 August 1896	4 years, 24 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	5. Itō II
						Mar.1894
						Sep.1894
		Count Kuroda Kiyotaka 黑田 清隆 (1840–1900) Acting Prime Minister	31 August 1896	18 September 1896	19 days	—	Military (Army)
		Count Matsukata Masayoshi 松方 正義 (1835–1924)	18 September 1896	12 January 1898	1 year, 117 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	6. Matsukata II
		Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤󠄃 博文 (1841–1909)	12 January 1898	30 June 1898	170 days	—	Independent (Meiji oligarchy)	7. Itō III
						Mar.1898
		Count Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈 重信 (1838–1922)	30 June 1898	8 November 1898	132 days	—	Kenseitō	8. Ōkuma I
						Aug.1898
		Count Yamagata Aritomo 山縣 有朋 (1838–1922)	8 November 1898	19 October 1900	1 year, 346 days	—	Military (Army)	9. Yamagata II
		Marquess Itō Hirobumi 伊藤󠄃 博文 (1841–1909)	19 October 1900	10 May 1901	204 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	10. Itō IV
		Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940) Acting Prime Minister	27 October 1900	12 December 1900	47 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai
			10 May 1901	2 June 1901	24 days	—
		Count Katsura Tarō 桂 太郞 (1848–1913)	2 June 1901	7 January 1906	4 years, 220 days	—	Military (Army)	11. Katsura I
						1902
						1903
						1904
		Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940)	7 January 1906	14 July 1908	2 years, 190 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	12. Saionji I
						1908
		Prince Katsura Tarō 桂 太郞 (1848–1913)	14 July 1908	30 August 1911	3 years, 48 days	—	Military (Army)	13. Katsura II
		Marquess Saionji Kinmochi 西園寺 公望 (1849–1940)	30 August 1911	21 December 1912	1 year, 114 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	14. Saionji II
						1912
										Taishō r. 1912 – 1926 (Taishō era)
		Prince Katsura Tarō 桂 太郞 (1848–1913)	21 December 1912	20 February 1913	62 days	—	Independent	15. Katsura III
		Count Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 (1852–1933)	20 February 1913	16 April 1914	1 year, 56 days	—	Military (Navy)	16. Yamamoto I
		Marquess Ōkuma Shigenobu 大隈 重信 (1838–1922)	16 April 1914	9 October 1916	2 years, 177 days	—	Rikken Dōshikai	17. Ōkuma II
						1915
		Count Terauchi Masatake 寺內 正毅 (1852–1919)	9 October 1916	29 September 1918	1 year, 356 days	—	Military (Army)	18. Terauchi
						1917
		Hara Takashi 原 敬 Rep for Morioka (1856–1921)	29 September 1918	4 November 1921	3 years, 37 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	19. Hara
						1920
		Count Uchida Kōsai 內田 康哉 (1865–1936) Acting Prime Minister	4 November 1921	13 November 1921	10 days	—	Independent
		Viscount Takahashi Korekiyo 高橋 是清 (1854–1936)	13 November 1921	12 June 1922	212 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	20. Takahashi
		Baron Katō Tomosaburō 加藤 友三郞 (1861–1923)	12 June 1922	24 August 1923	1 year, 74 days	—	Military (Navy)	21. Katō To.
		Count Uchida Kōsai 內田 康哉 (1865–1936) Acting Prime Minister	24 August 1923	2 September 1923	10 days	—	Independent
		Count Yamamoto Gonnohyōe 山本 權兵衛 (1852–1933)	2 September 1923	7 January 1924	128 days	—	Military (Navy)	22. Yamamoto II
		Viscount Kiyoura Keigo 清浦 奎吾 (1850–1942)	7 January 1924	11 June 1924	157 days	—	Independent	23. Kiyoura
		Viscount Katō Takaaki 加藤 高明 (1860–1926)	11 June 1924	28 January 1926	1 year, 232 days	1924	Kenseikai	24. Katō Ta.
		Wakatsuki Reijirō 若槻 禮次郞 (1866–1949)	28 January 1926	30 January 1926	3 days	—	Kenseikai
			30 January 1926	20 April 1927	1 year, 81 days	—		25. Wakatsuki I
										Shōwa r. 1926 – 1989 (Shōwa era)
		Baron Tanaka Giichi 田中 義一 (1864–1929)	20 April 1927	2 July 1929	2 years, 74 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	26. Tanaka G.
						1928
		Hamaguchi Osachi 濱口 雄幸 Rep for Kochi 2nd (1870–1931)	2 July 1929	14 April 1931	1 year, 287 days	—	Rikken Minseitō	27. Hamaguchi
						1930
		Baron Kijūrō Shidehara 幣原 喜重郞 (1872–1951) Acting Prime Minister	14 November 1930	9 March 1931	116 days	—	Independent
		Baron Wakatsuki Reijirō 若槻 禮次郞 (1866–1949)	14 April 1931	13 December 1931	244 days	—	Rikken Minseitō	28. Wakatsuki II
		Inukai Tsuyoshi 犬養 毅 Rep for Okayama 2nd (1855–1932)	13 December 1931	15 May 1932	155 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai	29. Inukai
						1932
		Viscount Takahashi Korekiyo 高橋 是清 (1854–1936)	15 May 1932	26 May 1932	12 days	—	Rikken Seiyūkai
		Viscount Saitō Makoto 齋藤 實 (1858–1936)	26 May 1932	8 July 1934	2 years, 44 days	—	Military (Navy)	30. Saitō
		Keisuke Okada 岡田 啓介 (1868–1952)	8 July 1934	9 March 1936	1 year, 246 days	—	Military (Navy)	31. Okada
						1936
		Fumio Gotō 後藤 文夫 (1884–1980) Acting Prime Minister	26 February 1936	29 February 1936	4 days	—	Independent
		Kōki Hirota 廣田 弘毅 (1878–1948)	9 March 1936	2 February 1937	331 days	—	Independent	32. Hirota
		Senjūrō Hayashi 林 銑十郞 (1876–1943)	2 February 1937	4 June 1937	123 days	—	Military (Army)	33. Hayashi
						1937
		Prince Fumimaro Konoe 近衞 文麿󠄁 (1891–1945)	4 June 1937	5 January 1939	1 year, 216 days	—	Independent	34. Konoe I
		Baron Kiichirō Hiranuma 平󠄁沼 騏一郞 (1867–1952)	5 January 1939	30 August 1939	238 days	—	Independent	35. Hiranuma
		Nobuyuki Abe 阿部 信行 (1875–1953)	30 August 1939	16 January 1940	140 days	—	Military (Army)	36. N. Abe
		Mitsumasa Yonai 米內 光政 (1880–1948)	16 January 1940	22 July 1940	189 days	—	Military (Navy)	37. Yonai
		Prince Fumimaro Konoe 近衞 文麿󠄁 (1891–1945)	22 July 1940	18 October 1941	1 year, 89 days	—	Independent	38. Konoe II
							Taisei Yokusankai
								39. Konoe III
		Hideki Tojo 東條 英機 (1884–1948)	18 October 1941	22 July 1944	2 years, 279 days	—	Taisei Yokusankai	40. Tōjō
						1942
		Kuniaki Koiso 小磯 國昭 (1880–1950)	22 July 1944	7 April 1945	260 days	—	Taisei Yokusankai	41. Koiso
		Baron Kantarō Suzuki 鈴木 貫太郞 (1868–1948)	7 April 1945	17 August 1945	133 days	—	Taisei Yokusankai	42. K. Suzuki
							Independent
		Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni 東久邇宮稔彦王 (1887–1990)	17 August 1945	9 October 1945	54 days	—	Imperial Family	43. Higashikuni
		Baron Kijūrō Shidehara 幣原 喜重郞 (1872–1951)	9 October 1945	22 May 1946	226 days	—	Independent	44. Shidehara
		Shigeru Yoshida 吉田 茂 (1878–1967)	22 May 1946	24 May 1947	1 year, 3 days	1946	Liberal	45. Yoshida I
		Tetsu Katayama 片山 哲 Rep for Kanagawa 3rd (1887–1978)	24 May 1947	10 March 1948	292 days	1947	Socialist	46. Katayama
		Hitoshi Ashida 蘆田 均 Rep for Kyōto 2nd (1887–1959)	10 March 1948	15 October 1948	220 days	—	Democratic	47. Ashida
		Shigeru Yoshida 吉田 茂 Rep for Kōchi at-large (1878–1967)	15 October 1948	10 December 1954	6 years, 57 days	—	Democratic Liberal	48. Yoshida II
						1949		49. Yoshida III
							Liberal
						1952		50. Yoshida IV
						1953		51. Yoshida V
		Ichirō Hatoyama 鳩山 一郞 Rep for Tokyo 1st (1883–1959)	10 December 1954	23 December 1956	2 years, 14 days	—	Japan Democratic	52. Hatoyama I. I
						1955		53. Hatoyama I. II
						—	Liberal Democratic	54. Hatoyama I. III
		Tanzan Ishibashi 石橋 湛山 Rep for Shizuoka 2nd (1884–1973)	23 December 1956	25 February 1957	65 days	—	Liberal Democratic	55. Ishibashi
		Nobusuke Kishi 岸 信介 Rep for Yamaguchi 2nd (1896–1987)	25 February 1957	19 July 1960	3 years, 146 days	—	Liberal Democratic	56. Kishi I
						1958		57. Kishi II
		Hayato Ikeda 池田 勇人 Rep for Hiroshima 2nd (1899–1965)	19 July 1960	9 November 1964	4 years, 114 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)	58. Ikeda I
						1960		59. Ikeda II
						1963		60. Ikeda III
		Eisaku Satō 佐藤 榮作 Rep for Yamaguchi 2nd (1901–1975)	9 November 1964	7 July 1972	7 years, 242 days	—	Liberal Democratic	61. Satō I
						1967		62. Satō II
						1969		63. Satō III
		Kakuei Tanaka 田中 角榮 Rep for Niigata 3rd (1918–1993)	7 July 1972	9 December 1974	2 years, 156 days	—	Liberal Democratic	64. Tanaka K. I
						1972		65. Tanaka K. II
		Takeo Miki 三木 武夫 Rep for Tokushima at-large (1907–1988)	9 December 1974	24 December 1976	2 years, 16 days	—	Liberal Democratic	66. Miki
		Takeo Fukuda 福︀田 赳夫 Rep for Gunma 3rd (1905–1995)	24 December 1976	7 December 1978	1 year, 349 days	1976	Liberal Democratic	67. Fukuda T.
		Masayoshi Ōhira 大平󠄁 正芳 Rep for Kagawa 2nd (1910–1980)	7 December 1978	12 June 1980	1 year, 189 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)	68. Ōhira I
						1979		69. Ōhira II
		Masayoshi Ito 伊東 正義 Rep for Fukushima 2nd (1913–1994) Acting Prime Minister	12 June 1980	17 July 1980	36 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)
		Zenkō Suzuki 鈴木 善幸 Rep for Iwate 1st (1911–2004)	17 July 1980	27 November 1982	2 years, 134 days	1980	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)	70. Suzuki Z.
		Yasuhiro Nakasone 中曾根 康弘 Rep for Gunma 3rd (1918–2019)	27 November 1982	6 November 1987	4 years, 345 days	—	Liberal Democratic	71. Nakasone I
						1983		72. Nakasone II
						1986		73. Nakasone III
		Noboru Takeshita 竹下 登 Rep for Shimane at-large (1924–2000)	6 November 1987	3 June 1989	1 year, 210 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Heisei Kenkyūkai faction)	74. Takeshita
										Akihito (Heisei) r. 1989 – 2019 (Heisei era)
		Sōsuke Uno 宇野 宗佑 Rep for Shiga at-large (1922–1998)	3 June 1989	10 August 1989	69 days	—	Liberal Democratic	75. Uno
		Toshiki Kaifu 海︀部 俊樹 Rep for Aichi 3rd (1931–2022)	10 August 1989	5 November 1991	2 years, 88 days	—	Liberal Democratic	76. Kaifu I
						1990		77. Kaifu II
		Kiichi Miyazawa 宮澤 喜一 Rep for Hiroshima 3rd (1919–2007)	5 November 1991	9 August 1993	1 year, 278 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)	78. Miyazawa
		Morihiro Hosokawa 細川 護熙 Rep for Kumamoto 1st (born 1938)	9 August 1993	28 April 1994	263 days	1993	New	79. Hosokawa
		Tsutomu Hata 羽田 孜 Rep for Nagano 2nd (1935–2017)	28 April 1994	30 June 1994	64 days	—	Renewal	80. Hata
		Tomiichi Murayama 村山 富市 Rep for Ōita 1st (1924–2025)	30 June 1994	11 January 1996	1 year, 196 days	—	Socialist	81. Murayama
		Ryutaro Hashimoto 橋本 龍太郞 Rep for Okayama 4th (1937–2006)	11 January 1996	30 July 1998	2 years, 201 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Heisei Kenkyūkai faction)	82. Hashimoto I
						1996		83. Hashimoto II
		Keizō Obuchi 小渕 惠三 Rep for Gunma 5th (1937–2000)	30 July 1998	5 April 2000	1 year, 251 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Heisei Kenkyūkai faction)	84. Obuchi
		Yoshirō Mori 森 喜朗 Rep for Ishikawa 2nd (born 1937)	5 April 2000	26 April 2001	1 year, 22 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai faction)	85. Mori I
						2000		86. Mori II
		Junichiro Koizumi 小泉 純一郞 Rep for Kanagawa 11th (born 1942)	26 April 2001	26 September 2006	5 years, 154 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai faction)	87. Koizumi I
						2003		88. Koizumi II
						2005		89. Koizumi III
		Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三 Rep for Yamaguchi 4th (1954–2022)	26 September 2006	26 September 2007	1 year, 1 day	—	Liberal Democratic (Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai faction)	90. Abe S. I
		Yasuo Fukuda 福︀田 康夫 Rep for Gunma 4th (born 1936)	26 September 2007	24 September 2008	365 days	—	Liberal Democratic	91. Fukuda Y.
		Tarō Asō 麻󠄁生 太郞 Rep for Fukuoka 8th (born 1940)	24 September 2008	16 September 2009	358 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)	92. Asō
		Yukio Hatoyama 鳩山 由紀夫 Rep for Hokkaido 9th (born 1947)	16 September 2009	8 June 2010	266 days	2009	Democratic	93. Hatoyama Y.
		Naoto Kan 菅 直人 Rep for Tokyo 18th (born 1946)	8 June 2010	2 September 2011	1 year, 87 days	—	Democratic	94. Kan
		Yoshihiko Noda 野田 佳彦 Rep for Chiba 4th (born 1957)	2 September 2011	26 December 2012	1 year, 116 days	—	Democratic	95. Noda
		Shinzo Abe 安倍 晋三 Rep for Yamaguchi 4th (1954–2022)	26 December 2012	16 September 2020	7 years, 266 days	2012	Liberal Democratic (Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai faction)	96. Abe S. II
						2014		97. Abe S. III
						2017		98. Abe S. IV
										Naruhito (Reiwa) r. 2019 – present (Reiwa era)
		Yoshihide Suga 菅 義偉󠄃 Rep for Kanagawa 2nd (born 1948)	16 September 2020	4 October 2021	1 year, 19 days	—	Liberal Democratic	99. Suga
		Fumio Kishida 岸田 文雄 Rep for Hiroshima 1st (born 1957)	4 October 2021	1 October 2024	2 years, 364 days	—	Liberal Democratic (Kōchikai faction)	100. Kishida I
						2021		101. Kishida II
		Shigeru Ishiba 石破 茂 Rep for Tottori 1st (born 1957)	1 October 2024	21 October 2025	1 year, 21 days	—	Liberal Democratic	102. Ishiba I
						2024		103. Ishiba II
		Sanae Takaichi 髙市 早苗 Rep for Nara 2nd (born 1961)	21 October 2025	Incumbent	7 days	—	Liberal Democratic	104. Takaichi

Former Prime Ministers Still Living

Here you can see the former Prime Ministers of Japan who are still alive today.

• Former Prime Ministers still living, showing their time in office and age
• 

  Yasuo Fukuda
  (2007–2008)
  (1936-07-16) 16 July 1936 (age 89)

• 

  Yoshirō Mori
  (2000–2001)
  (1937-07-14) 14 July 1937 (age 88)

• 

  Morihiro Hosokawa
  (1993–1994)
  (1938-02-14) 14 February 1938 (age 87)

• 

  Tarō Asō
  (2008–2009)
  (1940-09-20) 20 September 1940 (age 85)

• 

  Junichiro Koizumi
  (2001–2006)
  (1942-01-08) 8 January 1942 (age 83)

• 

  Naoto Kan
  (2010–2011)
  (1946-10-10) 10 October 1946 (age 79)

• 

  Yukio Hatoyama
  (2009–2010)
  (1947-02-11) 11 February 1947 (age 78)

• 

  Yoshihide Suga
  (2020–2021)
  (1948-12-06) 6 December 1948 (age 76)

• 

  Shigeru Ishiba
  (2024–2025)
  (1957-02-04) 4 February 1957 (age 68)

• 

  Yoshihiko Noda
  (2011–2012)
  (1957-05-20) 20 May 1957 (age 68)

• 

  Fumio Kishida
  (2021–2024)
  (1957-07-29) 29 July 1957 (age 68)

There are currently eleven former Prime Ministers of Japan who are still living. The most recent former Prime Minister to pass away was Tomiichi Murayama (who served from 1994 to 1996). He died on 17 October 2025, at the age of 101.

Timeline of Prime Ministers

This timeline shows when each Prime Minister served and which political party they belonged to. It helps to see the history of leadership in Japan at a glance.

Family Connections Among Prime Ministers

Did you know that some Prime Ministers of Japan were related to each other? This table shows some interesting family connections between them.

More to Explore

If you want to learn more about Japan's leaders, check out these other interesting lists:

• How long each Prime Minister served
• Where Prime Ministers went to school
• Where Prime Ministers were born
• Lists of Japanese government teams
• The Deputy Prime Minister of Japan